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West Ham boss does not see cap for Kevin Nolan

PREMIER LEAGUE: WEST Ham manager Sam Allardyce does not expect in-form Kevin Nolan to receive an England call-up any time soon despite upstaging Southampton’s World Cup hopefuls on Saturday.

Allardyce publicly questioned his captain’s psychological state at the start of the year after he was sent off in the defeat at Fulham, just weeks after seeing red against Liverpool.

Nolan’s response to that has been impressive, netting five goals in as many Premier League games since his return from suspension – form that has coincided with a run of four successive league wins for the Hammers.

The 31-year-old’s latest key contribution came on Saturday, scoring one and providing another in the 3-1 defeat of Southampton, which will have no doubt impressed watching England assistant Ray Lewington.

Nolan outshone several of Saints’ England prospects and led some to suggest he deserves a belated a shot at the national team, although Allardyce suspects that chance is gone for the man capped at Under-18 and Under-21 levels.

“He has had a lot of times that he has knocked on the door and I don’t think that’s going to make much difference for him now,” he said ahead of Thursday’s squad announcement for the friendly with Denmark.

“It would be nice if he did, but it is just about Kevin continuing where he is now.